7 Ways Your Smartphone Is Ruining Your Life

Your smartphone has drastically improved the way you communicate, create, learn, and live, but it still has its downsides—especially if you’re constantly connected to it. Excessive smartphone use can have a negative impact on your health, work life, relationships, and more. Here are seven reasons you might want to power down.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

2 of 8

1. Late-night emails kill productivity.

Even though working extra hours at night might seem like a good way to get ahead, new research in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that people who used their smartphones after 9 p.m. for work purposes experienced poor sleep and a drastic drop in energy the next day at the office. One reason: The blue light emitted by phones can hinder the production of melatonin, a chemical in your body that promotes sleep.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3 of 8

2. Mobile attachment makes you crazy.

Experiencing “phantom vibrations”—thinking you hear or feel your phone ringing when it isn’t—has become so common among smartphone users that “ringxiety” is now classified as an actual syndrome. In a 2012 study in Computers in Human Behavior, 89 percent of college undergraduates copped to it, while 87 percent of hospital workers in another study also admitted to feeling false vibrations.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4 of 8

3. All those apps could flatline your fitness.

Despite a surge in fitness apps designed to promote active lifestyles, mobile phone users are still losing the battle of the bulge. Playing games, watching movies, or surfing the Internet on your smartphone may lead to a sedentary lifestyle, suggests a 2013 study from Kent State University. Research showed that students who spent large amounts of time on their phones—as much as 14 hours a day—had the lowest fitness levels. Unsurprisingly, participants who limited their phone use to just 90 minutes a day proved to be in better shape.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5 of 8

4. Texting could land you in the ER.

The dangers of texting while driving are well-documented, but texting while walking can do an equal amount of bodily harm. Researchers at Ohio State University found the number of pedestrian cellphone-related injuries has more than doubled since 2005, and if the trend continues, it could double again by 2015, says study author Jack Nasar, Ph.D. Emergency room data collected from over 100 hospitals in 2010 showed that injuries sustained from smartphone use ranged from falling off walkways or bridges to strolling in front of moving traffic. Dude: Keep it in your pants when you cross.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

6 of 8

5. Losing your phone leads to freak-outs.

Have you ever started to hyperventilate after misplacing your iPhone? You’re not alone. According to research conducted by Lookout, a mobile security company, 73 percent of respondents said that they felt panicked after losing their cell. This response was caused by concerns about replacement costs, prolonged inconvenience, and exposed personal data—including all those naughty sexts from your girlfriend. Another U.K. study showed that 66 percent of participants suffered from nomophobia, or the fear of being without a cellphone.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7 of 8

6. Instagram melts your memory.

Snapping the right shot— and selecting the right filter—is a common way for people to share important moments in life. But overuse of your camera phone could actually affect your ability to remember those moments. Researchers at Fairfield University observed two groups of museum attendees: some took photos of the art they saw, while the rest refrained from taking pictures. A day later, the amateur photographers couldn’t recall as many details about the art as those who kept their phones in their pockets. By conveniently relying on your camera, you’re telling your brain "the camera’s got it," and you don’t have to pay attention anymore, says study author Linda Hinkel, Ph.D.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

8 of 8

7. Her smartphone interrupts sex.

Even if things are getting hot and heavy in the bedroom, a call or text to your partner’s phone can cool things down quick. According to a survey conducted by a U.K. deal site, 62 percent of British women have checked their phones during sex. A Harris Poll also found that, like Brits, 9 percent of Americans have halted the deed for an iPhone quickie.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.